iPhone Remote app for desktop

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Hi,

I use the iPhone Remote app to create a whole house audio system which is based on my iMac, 2 x AppleTV's and an airport express.

As the AppleTV's have the iMac's itunes music library synced to them they appear as individual libraries in the iPhone Remote app (as well as being airtunes speakers) and I am able to stream music from either AppleTV to any other airtunes speaker and they can also receive music from the iMac.

So I could have the iMac in my living room playing some Jazz and have the Kitchen Airport Express sync'd so its playing the same music. I can also either have the AppleTV's in the bedrooms play the same music or as they have their own library, I can select the AppleTV in my son's room and play lullabies to help him sleep all from my iPhone.

It creates an Apple style Sonos system (although I'd love a sonos system I already had all these items) that allows zones to be grouped or individual.

It works well, BUT......

Control of all of these components is limited to the Apple iPhone Remote app.

If me and my iPhone aren't around the whole system cannot be controlled.

iTunes will only control the iMac iTunes library, I cant access the AppleTV's and start them playing. I have tried web apps but they only control the iMacs library too.

Does anyone know an application for the Mac that could do everything the iPhone remote app does (controlling external libraries and Apple TV libraries)?

Thanks
Dave
 

Slydude

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M1 MacMini 16 GB - Ventura, iPhone 14 Pro Max, 2015 iMac 16 GB Monterey
I am starting to look at this issue as well. I'd like to turn my iPad into a remote that controls the entire system. Macworld has a review online of some of the remote apps that are available. Some are capable of learning a wide variety of commands (including macros).iPhone IR remotes compared Review | Home Theater | Playlist | Macworld Some of the programs that control multiple devices might help with the first problem.

None of the programs reviewed addresses the issue of what to do if you, or more importantly, your phone weren't there. The options I have seen so far, though not exactly cheap, are

1. An old/unused iPhone gets turned into the remote
2. Something like the RedEye might work but it also depends on having an old phone/iPod touch lying around RedEye Products
 

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